Patrick Chan is in Vancouver today, to lend support for the important efforts in the community raising awareness for bone marrow match/ stem cell research. Celebrate Patrick Chan as Canada’s figure skating champion…and to support his efforts for the 2014 Olympics . And of course, he’s the guest of honour for tomorrow’s big fund raising and Community Support event in his quest for Gold in the XXII Winter Olympics!

The World Chinese Business Association of Canada (WCBAC) together with proud fans and supporters of Canada’s Champion Figure skater, Patrick Chan, are holding a media conference on Friday to show our continuing support for Patrick, and to celebrate his continuing winning streak!

Patrick Chan is in town, as he is the guest of honour for the celebration that will occur the following day – a community dinner and fundraiser.

A goal of this event is to show community support for one of our nation’s bright young sons, and to help Patrick raise funds to continue his training. The celebration event (to be held at Victoria Seafood Chinese restaurant on Saturday, Feb 18), was completely sold out within days of the announcement, with guests arriving from across Canada. Now that’s support!

Patrick will be available on Friday for interviews, photographs, and will be happy to share his joy and success on his recent accomplishments.

Why do we need to raise funds?

-Annual training cost of a champion is over $200,000

-Canadians need to support Patrick to become the first Canadian to win the Figure Skating Men’s Gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics

-All proceeds will be in support of Patrick Chan’s training

About Patrick Chan

Patrick Chan is the reigning Figure Skating National Champion of Canada (2008 – 2010). Patrick, 20 years old, is a descent of Hong Kong immigrants.

He is the 2011 World Champion, 2010–2011 & 2011-2012 Grand Prix Final champion, the 2009 Four Continents champion, and a four-time (2008–2011) Canadian Champion.

At the 2010 Canadian Championships, he was nominated to represent Canada at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He placed 5th in the men’s event.

On April 27, 2011, Chan set a new world record of 93.02 points for the short program. Chan then set a new world record for his free skate. Chan was crowned World Champion in Moscow on April 28, 2011. In recognition, Chan was named the recipient of the prestigious Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s top athlete.

As with all Canadians, Chinese-Canadian communities across Canada are extremely proud to support Patrick Chan. We all wish him success in representing Canada for the Gold medal in Figure Skating World Championships, and again when Patrick represents Canada at the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia in 2014!

Patrick Chan also supported One Half Chinese Stem Cell Initiative a charity dedicated to increasing the number of stem cell donor registrants of Chinese descents on the OneMatch Stem Cell Network. By registering as a donor he hopes to lead by example, encourage more new potential donors to join him and increase the likelihood of finding that life-saving match for patients.

Today was a day unlike most where I was able to go down to Rogers Arena to help support my team. The call went out for volunteers to be a part of a promo video for the Canucks and there I was cheering and waving alongside everyone else. Roger Neilson (whose statue we wer under) would have been proud as we waved the “white towel” and wore our Canucks jerseys.

The first women’s memorial march was held in 1991 in response to the murder of a Coast Salish woman on Powell Street in Vancouver. Her name is not spoken today out of respect for the wishes of her family. Out of this sense of hopelessness and anger came an annual march on Valentine’s Day to express compassion, community, and caring for all women in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, Unceded Coast Salish Territories. Twenty one years later, the women’s memorial march continues to honour the lives of missing and murdered women.

On Tuesday Feb 14th 2012, we will gather at noon at the Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main Street (corner Hastings, Vancouver) where family members speak in remembrance. Given space constraints, we ask the broader public to join us at 1 pm, when the march takes to the streets and proceeds through the Downtown Eastside, with stops to commemorate where women were last seen or found; speeches by community activists at the police station; a healing circle at Oppenheimer Park around 3 pm; and finally a community feast at the Japanese Language Hall. Thank you to Buffalo Spirit for the big drum.

Increasing deaths of many vulnerable women from the DTES still leaves family, friends, loved ones, and community members with an overwhelming sense of grief and loss. Annual women’s memorial marches now occur in dozens of communities across these lands.

Wizard of Pawz – A dog walking program for resident. Wizard of Pawz will be walking dogs every Tuesday at 11 AM. Please sign up with staff at the front desk of your building, at LifeSkills Centre or email colina@phs.ca

Staff and LifeSkills peers will be walking resident dogs.. and staff dogs if any staff dogs want walks.

Colin A says

We’ve dropped off a bunch of sign-up sheets at all the PHS buildings, so please encourage any dog owners to sign up. We’re going to start with once a week, every Tuesday beginning on Feb 21st. Any questions email: colina@phs.ca.